Marianna bounces back for Australia

Marianna Tolo says her selection in the Australian Opals team for this year's FIBA World Championship is one of her career highlights to date.

The 25-year-old Mackay player has been in the squad for every one of its pre-championship tours this year, and was a likely inclusion for this month's championships in Turkey, but she said it was nice to finally get the confirmation.

She said after a disappointing World Championship campaign in 2010 and then missing out on the 2012 Olympic squad, making this team was a big achievement.

"It's been a while coming but we've been training together and trying to make the side for a long time, so it's nice to finally have the team decided and be able to look forward to the championships," she said.

"It's pretty exciting. I was part of the last world championships and we didn't do very well, so I don't want that to happen again. But the way the draw is set up this year I think we've got a really good opportunity to do well.

"To make the Australian team is a dream come true. After not being picked for the last Olympics, it was a goal of mine to get my name in the team again, so to do that is pretty exciting."

Tolo and the Opals head to France tomorrow for practise games against the USA, France and China before heading to Turkey for a couple more pre-championship games. Their championship campaign kicks off on September 27 against Cuba. They also face Korea and Belarus in their group.

Tolo said she was feeling good ahead of the trip.

"I feel like I'm in good form; I've been training down here at the AIS Centre of Excellence which has helped me a lot over the last couple of weeks," she said.

Every game of the FIBA World Championship for Women will be shown live on ABC2.